Hannah The Alpha Council’s expressions were as inscrutable as ever as they moved through the crowd. Drake was among them, although he kept his face impassive other than the barest wink in my direction. But it did little to ease my worries. The eldest among them, Alpha George, moved at the forefr
The Council members seemed to glance at each other curiously at that. It seemed our mention of a vote was somewhat unexpected, but it was true. Noah and I had discussed it before. Many times. But then Drake suddenly rose, clearing his throat. “I have a question for you two. A more personal one.”
Hannah The weeks following the Council’s approval of our merger were nothing short of chaotic. Meetings, paperwork, and planning sessions filled every available hour, leaving little time to breathe, let alone reflect. But somehow, we made it work. Night after night, Noah and I pushed through the
I managed a small smile, taking my usual seat, and found myself looking around at the familiar faces—women who had become friends, allies, sisters in arms. It was hard not to cry, if I was being honest. “Actually,” I said, “I have an announcement to make. The room grew quiet as I explained my re
Hannah The day of Melody’s first birthday dawned bright and clear, the sun casting golden light across the dining room furniture. The place had been transformed, pink and silver streamers winding along the ceiling, and balloons gathering in clusters in every corner. Noah was fussing with the foo
Sighing, I said softly, “I could say the same for myself. But people change.” Her gaze lifted to mine. “Yeah, I guess they do. Thank you, Hannah. Really. I wouldn’t have even thought about it if you hadn’t put in a good word for me.” I shrugged, brushing it off with a smile. “I just suggested th
Hannah It took some time to get Melody to bed that night, what with all the sugar and excitement of the overwhelming day. Noah and I had to take turns pacing back and forth across the nursery, bouncing her and cooing to her until she finally gave up and let her eyes flutter closed. By the time s
Noah took a deep breath, nodding. “You’re right.” “And then there’s your father,” he mused after a beat of silence. “He thought he was protecting you, setting you up for a safe future by arranging our marriage, but… he never really stopped to think about what you were getting into. He never took t
“Almost done…” she murmured, leaning in with a touch of gloss for my lips. I couldn’t help but laugh at how serious she looked, as if I were some delicate art piece she was trying to perfect. Finally, she stepped back with a smile. “There. Now, the dress.” Amber was already at my side, helping m
Hannah The next morning, I woke with a flutter in my stomach that had nothing to do with morning sickness. Sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. I blinked up at the ceiling, letting that first realization sink in. It was the day of our wedding. In le
Hannah Mornings had gotten louder since Melody learned to walk. And she wasn’t just walking—she was trying to run, arms flapping and her chubby legs barely holding her up as she went. This morning, she seemed to be hell bent on dashing down the hallway as Noah tried to brush his teeth and I hunted
I laughed, hoping it sounded more natural than I felt. “Hey, I can spoil you once in a while if I want. Just because it’s a Thursday doesn’t mean I can’t surprise you.” We chatted about our day as we ate, filling each other in on all the usual things. But every so often, his eyes would flicker to
Hannah My hands shook a little as I straightened the delicate flower crown over Melody’s soft hair, adjusting it so the petals framed her tiny face just right. She blinked up at me with those wide, innocent eyes, slapping her hands contentedly on the top of her high chair. I smiled as I ran my f
Hannah By the time we stepped out of the ring, it felt as if my entire body was on fire. Every muscle seemed to be taut, every heartbeat one thump away from shifting. I couldn’t tell if I wanted to run circles around the building or maybe tear up the walls like a caged animal. What was wrong wit
Hannah For what felt like the hundredth time that morning, I sidestepped Drake’s punch with ease, narrowly dodging his hook. Training with him had become an obsession of mine lately. He’d pushed me in ways I hadn’t expected, helping me learn how to use my speed and endurance instead of relying on
Noah pushed himself harder, letting out a playful howl as he gained on her, the hunt pulsing through his veins like a drug. She glanced back, her ears twitching, and he saw her eyes flash with excitement before she put on an extra burst of speed. It became a game of cat and mouse, each of them pus
Noah For the millionth time that morning, Noah’s gaze drifted from the stack of papers on his desk to the stretch of forest that was visible through the office window. The afternoon light filtered through the trees, casting that familiar, deep green hue over the landscape. Just seeing the expans